Page 93 of Lupo

"And?" I watch his face. "What will you decide?"

"I don't want to be the one to decide." He sounds tired. "Part of me understands why he did it. But part of me—" He stops. "Part of me remembers what betrayal costs in that world. What message it sends if you let it go unpunished."

The coldness in his voice makes me uneasy. This is the Don talking. The boss. The man who gave orders about life and death.

"Isabella." He reaches across the table, not quite touching me. "I know this is a lot. I know you probably have questions."

"I have a hundred questions," I interrupt. "But first I need to know something."

"What?"

"Do you want to go back?" I hold his gaze. "To Naples. To that life. Do you want to remember who you were?"

He's quiet for so long I think he won't answer. "I don't want to go back, but part of me needs to remember who I was. Needsto understand what I did, why I made the choices I made." He pauses. "But another part of me is terrified."

"Of what?"

"Of losing this." His voice drops. "Of remembering that person and realizing I can't be who I am now. That I can't be the man you and Elena need me to be."

The words settle between us, heavy and honest.

"Lupo." I reach out now, covering his hand with mine. "I need to tell you something too. And I need you to really hear me."

"Okay."

"I knew you were dangerous the day we met. I saw it in how you moved, how you assessed threats, how you killed Draco without hesitation." I tighten my grip. "I'm not naive. I've lived in that world. I know what men like you are capable of."

"Then why did you let me stay?"

"Because you're also the man who fixed my chicken coop. Who teaches Elena how to collect eggs. Who reads her stories and calls her sweetheart." My throat tightens. "You're the man who came back from disposing of a body and held me like I was something precious."

He's staring at me, something vulnerable and desperate in his eyes.

"I'm not going to pretend this isn't complicated," I continue. "Or that I'm not afraid of what might come. But I need you to know one thing. Whatever you were before doesn't change what you are now. Not to me."

"Isabella—"

"I'm not finished." I pull my hand back, wrapping it around my coffee cup again. "But I also need you to be honest with me.About everything. No more hiding things because you think it'll protect me. I need to know what we're facing. All of it."

"Okay."

"So, tell me the truth. What are you really afraid of?"

He's quiet, choosing his words carefully. "I'm afraid that if I go back. If I remember everything. I'll realize I can't walk away again. That I'll be pulled back into that life completely." He meets my eyes. "And I'm afraid that even if I don't go back, that life will come here. Will find us. And when it does, you and Elena will be caught in the crossfire."

"Because of me? Or because of you?"

"Both. Either. Does it matter?"

I consider this. "Maybe not."

We sit in silence for a moment, both of us lost in our own thoughts. The coffee is cooling in our cups.

"What do you think I should do?" Lupo asks finally.

"I think—" I stop, because I don't actually know. "I think you need to make whatever decision lets you sleep at night. And I think we need to be realistic about our options."

"Which are?"